The present invention relates to a joint connector, and more particularly, to a joint connector in which electric wires having terminal strips at their ends are accommodated in a housing and predetermined terminals are electrically connected with each other using a short circuit terminal.
Conventionally, this type joint connector is well known, which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-277180. FIG. 8 shows the above joint connector.
In FIG. 8, a plurality of electric wires 3 having female terminals 2 at their ends are accommodated in a female connector housing 1 in such a manner that the plurality of electric wires 3 are oriented in the same direction. A joint connector housing 4 is formed into a box-shape having an opening on one side. A fore end of the female connector housing 1 is capable of being inserted into the opening of the joint connector housing 4. A short circuit terminal 5 is inserted from the outside into a bottom portion of the joint connector housing 4 corresponding to a position at which the female terminal of the female connector housing 1 is disposed. Both end portions of the short circuit terminal 5 are male terminals, which mate with terminals 2. The short circuit terminal 5 is bent at two intermediate positions so that the overall short circuit terminal 5 is formed into a C-shape. A cover 6 is provided on the joint connector housing 4 in such a manner that the bottom portion of the joint connector housing 4 is covered with the cover 6. In order to prevent the cover 6 from being disengaged from the joint connector housing 4, an engaging hole 6a is provided on the cover 6, and an engaging protrusion 4a is provided on the joint connector housing 4.
In the construction of the joint connector described above, the integrated short circuit terminal 5 is provided in accordance with the female terminals 2 to be connected with each other. The end portion of the short circuit terminal 5 is inserted from the outside into the joint connector housing 4, and the cover 6 is attached to an outer periphery of the housing 4 so as to cover an exposed portion of the short circuit terminal 5. When the female connector housing 1 is inserted into the opening of the joint connector housing 4, the short circuit terminal 5 advances to the female terminals 2 to be connected, so that the female terminals 2 are communicated with each other through the short circuit terminal 5.
In the conventional joint connector described above, the following problems may be encountered. The joint connector housing 4 is covered with the cover 6, so that the housing is doubled. In addition, when the female connector housing 1 is inserted into the joint connector housing 4, the entire housing is tripled. As a result, the outside dimensions of the joint connector are increased.